John Franklin, Special Olympics Athlete, Writes Open Letter To Ann Coulter Over Offensive ‘Retard’ Tweet Against Obama

During Monday night’s third presidential debate, conservative pundit Ann Coulter said she supported Mitt Romney's tactic of not attacking President Barack Obama and created waves when she called President Barack Obama a "retard" in a tweet after the debate ended.

During Monday night’s third presidential debate, conservative pundit Ann Coulter said she supported Mitt Romney's tactic of not attacking President Barack Obama and created waves when she called President Barack Obama a "retard" in a tweet after the debate ended.

I highly approve of Romney's decision to be kind and gentle to the retard.

While Coulter's remarks were believed to be offensive and disrespectful by many, John Franklin Stephens, a Special Olympics athlete, on Tuesday published an open letterto Coulter, asking her why she repeatedly used the "R-word."

The touching letter has received a strong response from readers. The letter quickly went viral, garnering more than 10,000 "likes" on Facebook, 6,000-plus Twitter shares.

"Such a wonderful, courageous and heartfelt letter," one commenter wrote. "Bravo for standing up to all of the bullies that linger out there, waiting to pounce on those they perceive as different. You are a true hero."

"The full letter is well worth reading, if only as a break from the unceasing negativity of the campaign season. Well done, Mr. Stephens," Yahoo! Sports journalist Jay Busbee wrote. "Nice job of taking the kind of positive, open-arms approach that's unthinkable to so many in public life these days."

Below is the complete letter of the Olympian slaughtering Ann coulter with kindness.

Dear Ann Coulter,

Come on Ms. Coulter, you aren’t dumb and you aren’t shallow. So why are you continually using a word like the R-word as an insult?

I’m a 30 year old man with Down syndrome who has struggled with the public’s perception that an intellectual disability means that I am dumb and shallow. I am not either of those things, but I do process information more slowly than the rest of you. In fact it has taken me all day to figure out how to respond to your use of the R-word last night.

I thought first of asking whether you meant to describe the President as someone who was bullied as a child by people like you, but rose above it to find a way to succeed in life as many of my fellow Special Olympians have.

Then I wondered if you meant to describe him as someone who has to struggle to be thoughtful about everything he says, as everyone else races from one snarkey sound bite to the next.

Finally, I wondered if you meant to degrade him as someone who is likely to receive bad health care, live in low grade housing with very little income and still manages to see life as a wonderful gift.

Because, Ms. Coulter, that is who we are – and much, much more.

After I saw your tweet, I realized you just wanted to belittle the President by linking him to people like me. You assumed that people would understand and accept that being linked to someone like me is an insult and you assumed you could get away with it and still appear on TV.

I have to wonder if you considered other hateful words but recoiled from the backlash.

Well, Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor.

No one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much.

Come join us someday at Special Olympics. See if you can walk away with your heart unchanged.

A friend you haven’t made yet,
John Franklin Stephens
Global Messenger
Special Olympics Virginia